Improvement in manufacture of articles of leather



a a; v. SHEFFIELD. Manufacture of Artioles'of Leather.

No. 214,7I8. Patented April 22, 18.79.

WITNE'SSES: I IN-BNTOR:

- BY J ATTORNEYS}.

N.PETERS, FMOTO-LITHDGRAPPEN. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

GEORGE V. SHEFFIELD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND CHRISTIAN WUTERIOH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES OF LEATHER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 214,718, dated April 22, 1879; application filed February 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE V. SHEFFIELD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Articles of Leather, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of hollow articles of leather, such as boots and shoes, boxes, and harness-trimmings, which have heretofore been made by stretching tanned leather on a last or other suitable form, and securing the joints by sewing or nails.

By my improved method I take raw green hide and stretch it upon the last or form smoothly and subject the hide to a tanning process while on the form. The article is then dressed and colored while on the form.

In the drawings I have illustrated a shoeupper as made by the process named.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section. Fig. 2 is a bottom view.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The last (represented at a) may be wood or metal, solid or hollow, and made in the usual form, or adapted especially for making articles by my improved process.

The raw hide (represented at b) is in one piece, stretched upon the last a, and secured at the bottom by nails. The hide will be stretched smoothly and tightly upon the last, and trimmed at its edges before tanning.

. \Vhile in this shape upon the last,the hide is to be subjected to any well-known tanning process, and dressed and colored, after which the leather shoe-upper is to be removed from the last and finished. By this means the upper will be produced having the exact form of the last, and Without a seam, and the usual lasting operation will not be required.

It is evident that other hollow articles maybe produced in the same manner upon forms of the required shape. In the case of a box it will be made with the sides and bottom complete and in one piece. The same process may also be applied to the manufacture of harnesstrimmings.

I do not limit myself to any particular tanning process. It is only necessary that the consists in first shaping the articles from raw or green hide upon suitable forms, and then tanning the hide while stretched on the form, substantially as specified.

2. The described improvement in the manufacture of hollow articles of leather, which consists in first shaping the articles from raw or green hide upon suitable forms, and then tanning, dressing, and coloring the hide while on the form, substantially as specified.

GEORGE V. SHEFFIELD.

Witnesses GEO. D. WALKER, O. SEDGWICK. 

